Mpox cases surge in NYC: What to know
Digitally-colorized electron microscopic (EM) image depicting a monkeypox virion (virus particle), obtained from a clinical sample associated with a 2003 prairie dog outbreak, published June 6, 2022. The image depicts a thin section image from a huma
NEW YORK CITY - The NYC Department of Health cautioned that cases of mpox have surged in NYC since October, peaking at 51 cases in January.
According to a health advisory released on Friday, the city has seen an average of 36 cases per month since October, marking a rise from the range of two to 20 cases per month throughout most of 2023.
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Of the 256 cases from October 2023 through April 15, 2024, 73% were not vaccinated or only received one dose.
Most of the people who had mpox were Black or Hispanic and between the ages of 25-44. 94% were among men who have sex with men, the NYC Department of Health said.
The NYC Department of Health reported that most of the cases were mild, and only 10 people were hospitalized.
There is also a large outbreak of the more severe Clade I mpox, formerly known as monkeypox virus (MPXV) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the NYC Department of Health. They reported that the United States is continuing to only see Clade II cases.
What is happening in Congo?
Scientists say a new form of mpox detected in a mining town in Congo might more easily spread among people.
Already, Congo is seeing its biggest mpox outbreak with more than 4,500 suspected infections and nearly 300 deaths. A new study that will be submitted to a journal for publication soon looked at patients hospitalized between October and January in Kamitgua, eastern Congo.
The lead researcher says the new form has milder lesions, and they're mostly on the genitals, which makes the disease trickier to diagnose. The World Health Organization says this mutation of the disease might require a new testing strategy to pick up the mutations.
What is the difference between Clade I and Clade II monkeypox virus?
There are two kinds, or clades, of mpox, which is related to smallpox and endemic to central and west Africa. Clade 1 is more severe and can kill up to 10% of people infected. Clade 2 triggered the 2022 outbreak; more than 99% of people infected survived.
What is mpox?
MADRID, SPAIN - JUNE 06: A medical laboratory technician shows a suspected monkeypox sample at the microbiology laboratory of La Paz Hospital on June 06, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. Europe is at the centre of the monkeypox virus outbreak, the World Health
Mpox, is a rare disease caused by infection with a virus that's in the same family as the one that causes smallpox. It is endemic in parts of Africa, where people have been infected through bites from rodents or small animals, but it was not known to spread easily among people.
Mpox cases began emerging in Europe and the U.S. in May 2022, mostly among men who have sex with men. Cases escalated rapidly in dozens of countries in June and July, around the time of gay pride events. The infections were rarely fatal, but many people suffered painful skin lesions for weeks.
In late July 2022, the World Health Organization declared an international health crisis. In early August, the U.S. declared a public health emergency.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.